Chapter M: S.--By all the fields, mountains, cities and prairies, what sort of (1)

child do you think should live here?

F. T.--Leave that to me. (_Calls._) Come, Young America. (_Calls again and again. At last Young America dressed as a boy scout, pack on back, enters cautiously._)

F. T.--Come, Young America, Mother Space gives you this chart to the Land-of-Equal-Chance. Go, the land lies beyond. It is your domain.

YOUNG AMERICA (_bewildered_).--But what shall I do there? Must I go alone?

F. T.--No, my child, you cannot go alone. Do you see these four windows? Go, draw aside the curtains.

Y. A. (_Goes to the first window and draws aside the curtain. Above the window is plainly printed "Action"._)--Here am I, Young America. I must go on a journey. Will you go with me, Spirit of Action?

SPIRIT OF ACTION (_Appears suddenly at the window._)--Go? Yes. Wait a moment. (_Bounds to the stage._) Where are you going?

Y. A. (_Points to the curtain at rear._)--There, Spirit of Action. What will you do if you go with me?

SP. OF A. (_Laughs._)--I shall make your blood dance and your heart beat high. I shall fill your hands with glorious work. Your muscles shall be strong with the doing.

Y. A.--O, Spirit of Action, you make me want to start at once. I could not do without you. But, wait. (_Goes to the second window, draws the curtain back to see the word "Understanding"._) Come, friend Understanding.

SPIRIT OF UNDERSTANDING.--Here am I, Young America.

Y. A.--I am going away, Understanding.

SP. OF U.--So! Why do you go?

Y. A.--I want to go. I do not know exactly why.

SP. OF U. (_Comes on the stage._)--Then you do need me, Young America. I will make your eye clear, and your mind aware. If I go with you, you must think. Will you?

Y. A.--Thinking is hard, but I promise if you show me how. Now, for my next friend. (_Goes to the third window, draws back the curtain and sees, "Self-Control"._) Ho, Self-Control, it is I, Young America! Come, go with me!

SPIRIT OF SELF-CONTROL.--Not so fast! Steady, Young America. Go with you?

Y. A.--Yes, on a journey.

SP. OF S-C.--If I go with you I must have a big promise.

Y. A.--What?

SP. OF S-C.--You must play the game of life with fair rules--the same rules for all.

Y. A.--Yes.

SP. OF S-C.--And you must help make the rules.

Y. A.--Yes.

SP. OF S-C.--And the hardest of all, you must obey the rules yourself.

Y. A.--I'll try, Self-Control. (_Self-Control joins the others on the stage. Y. A. draws aside the curtain from the fourth window, marked "Sympathy"._)

Y. A.--Come, friend, Young America is going on a journey.

SPIRIT OF SYMPATHY (_Appears._)--A journey? Who goes with you?

Y. A.--Self-Control, Understanding, and Action.

SP. OF S.--You need more than they can give.

Y. A.--What more do I need?

SP. OF S.--Why, don't you see, you have no one to make you feel for others in the game. You can't play or work alone. You must join hands and pull together. (_Comes out from the window._) Take my hand.

Y. A. (_wonderingly_).--Your hand is soft and warm, Spirit of Sympathy. I should like to have you go.

SP. OF A.--Hurry, come, we must be gone. Sit here, Young America, let me put these sandals on your feet. There.

Y. A.--They fit so well, Spirit. And see, wings! Ah, sandals with wings!

SP. OF U.--Sometimes it will be dark. Keep this torch burning. (_She lights the torch and hands it to the boy._)

Y. A.--How bright it makes the way.

SP. OF S-C.--There will be rugged heights to climb in that land, dark abysses into which you might fall. Take this staff. My strength is in it. If wild beasts attack you, defend yourself. Be steady, steady.

Y. A.--A staff! How strong it is!

SP. OF S. (_A long garland of flowers trails from her hands. She winds them about Young America and the three other spirits. Then she takes Young America's hand._)--Come, we go as one to the Land-of-Equal-Chance. (_The group, bound by their flower chain, moves up the steps towards the curtain._)

SP. OF A. (_Springs ahead but holds to the chain._)--Open, open! Young America is here!

ALL.--Open, open for Young America!

(_Father Time and Mother Space, who have been standing aside, take their places at the large curtain and after a pause slowly lift it, revealing the figure of Liberty bathed in shining light. Young America starts back._)

LIBERTY.--Come, Young America!

Y. A. (_Aside to companions._)--Dare I go?

ALL THE SPIRITS.--We will go with you.

LIBERTY.--Come, Young America!

(_Young America advances slowly towards the outstretched arms of Liberty and kneels. The Spirits follow forming a group which says, "Onward into the Land-of-Equal-Chance"._)

--"_National School Service._"

QUESTIONS

Each of Young America's companions gave him a present. What were
the presents? Was each a suitable gift to come from its giver? Of
what use will each gift be?

Do you think Young America would be likely to succeed with only
three of these companions? If so, which one do you think he can
spare?

THE BROKEN FLOWER-POT

Is this a real, live boy who tells this story? He did two things,
a bad one and a good one. You probably would not have done the bad
one. Try to think out for yourself, not to answer the question to
your teacher or class, whether or not you would have done the good
one.

I

My father was seated on the lawn before the house, his straw hat over his eyes, and his book on his lap. Suddenly a beautiful delft blue-and-white flower-pot, which had been set on the window-sill of an upper story, fell to the ground with a crash, and the fragments flew up round my father's feet. But my father continued to read.

"Dear, dear!" cried my mother, who was at work in the porch; "my poor flower-pot, that I prized so much! I would rather the best tea-set were broken! The poor geranium I reared myself, and the dear, dear flower-pot which Mr. Caxton bought for me my last birthday! That naughty child must have done this!"

I came out of the house as bold as brass, and said rapidly, "Yes, mother, it was I who pushed out the flower-pot."

"Hush!" said my nurse, while gazing at my father, who had very slowly taken off his hat, and was looking on with serious, wide-awake eyes. "Hush! And if he did break it, ma'am, it was quite an accident. He was standing so, and he never meant it. Did you? Speak!" this in a whisper, "or father will be so very angry."

"Well," said mother, "I suppose it was an accident; take care in the future, my child. You are sorry, I see, to have grieved me. There is a kiss; don't fret."

"No, mother, you must not kiss me; I don't deserve it, I pushed out the flower-pot on purpose."

"Ah! and why?" said my father, walking up.

"For fun!" said I, hanging my head; "just to see how you'd look, father; and that's the truth of it."

My father threw his book fifty feet off, stooped down, and caught me in his arms. "Boy," he said, "you have done wrong; you shall repair it by remembering all your life that your father blessed God for giving him a son who spoke truth in spite of fear."

II

Not long after, Mr. Squills gave me a beautiful large box of dominoes, made of cut ivory. This domino box was my delight. I was never tired of playing at dominoes with my old nurse, and I slept with the box under my pillow.

"Ah!" said my father one day when he found me arranging the ivory pieces in the parlor, "do you like that better than all your playthings?"

"Oh, yes, father!"

"You would be very sorry if mother were to throw that box out of the window and break it, for fun." I looked pleadingly at my father, and made no answer. "But perhaps you would be very glad," he went on, "if suddenly one of those good fairies you read of could change the domino box into a beautiful geranium in a lovely blue-and-white flower-pot. Then you could have the pleasure of putting it on mother's window-sill."

"Indeed I would," said I, half crying.

"My dear boy, I believe you; but good _wishes_ do not mend bad actions; good _actions_ mend bad actions." So saying he shut the door and went out.

"My boy," said he the next day, "I am going to walk to town; will you come? And, by the by, fetch your domino box; I should like to show it to a person there."

"Father," said I by the way, "there are no fairies now how then can my domino box be changed into a geranium in a blue-and-white flower-pot?"

"My dear," said my father, leaning his hand on my shoulder, "everybody who is in earnest to be good, carries two fairies about with him--one here," and he touched my forehead, "and one there," and he touched my heart.

"I don't understand, father."

"I can wait until you do, my son."

My father stopped at a nursery-gardener's, and after looking over the flowers, paused before a large geranium. "Ah, this is finer than that which your mother was so fond of. What is the price of this, sir?"

"Only seven and six pence," said the gardener. My father buttoned up his pocket.

"I can't afford it to-day," said he gently, and we walked out.

III

On entering the town we stopped again at a china warehouse. "Have you a flower-pot like that I bought some months ago? Ah, here is one, marked three and six pence. Yes, that is the price. Well, when mother's birthday comes again, we must buy her another. That is some months to wait. And we can wait, my boy. For truth, that blooms all the year round, is better than a poor geranium; and a word that is never broken is better than a piece of delft."

My head, which had been drooping before, rose again; but the rush of joy at my heart almost stifled me. "I have called to pay your bill," said my father, entering a shop.

"And, by the by," he added, "my boy can show you a beautiful domino box." I produced my treasure, and the shopman praised it highly. "It is always well, my boy, to know what a thing is worth, in case one wishes to part with it. If my son gets tired of his plaything, what will you give him for it?"

"Why, sir," said the shopman; "I think we could give eighteen shillings for it."

"Eighteen shillings!" said my father; "you would give that? Well, my boy, whenever you do grow tired of your box, you have my leave to sell it."

My father paid his bill, and went out. I lingered behind a few moments, and joined him at the end of the street.

"Father, father!" I cried, clapping my hands, "we can buy the geranium; we can buy the flower-pot!" And I pulled a handful of silver from my pocket.

"Did I not say right?" said my father. "You have found the two fairies!"

Ah, how proud, how overjoyed I was, when after placing vase and flower on the window-sill, I plucked my mother by the gown, and made her follow me to the spot.

"It is his doing and his money!" said my father; "good actions have mended the bad."

--_From "The Caxtons", by Bulwer-Lytton._

1. What did the boy do when he "lingered behind a few moments"?

2. If you were to act out this story, you would have to imagine
yourself in several places. Make a list of them in the right order.

3. What do you think "seven-and-sixpence" means? How much money do
you think the boy had left when he had paid for the flower-pot?

4. What do you think the two fairies were?

5. This selection is divided into three parts, each headed with a
Roman numeral. Write a heading or topic for each part.

SAINT GEORGE AND THE DRAGON

Here is the story of the greatest deed of the patron, or guardian,
saint of England. As you read the story, try to remember how the
young men of England, France, and America showed themselves worthy
followers of this brave, noble knight.

Long ago, when the knights lived in the land, there was one knight whose name was Sir George. He was not only braver than all the rest, but he was so noble, kind, and good that the people came to call him Saint George.

No robbers ever dared to trouble the people who lived near his castle, and all the wild animals were killed or driven away, so the little children could play even in the woods without being afraid.

One day St. George rode throughout the country. Everywhere he saw the men busy at their work in the fields, the women singing at work in their homes, and the little children shouting at their play.

"These people are all safe and happy; they need me no more," said St. George. "But somewhere perhaps there is trouble and fear. There may be some place where little children cannot play in safety; some woman may have been carried away from her home; perhaps there are even dragons left to be slain. Tomorrow I shall ride away and never stop until I find work which only a knight can do."

Early the next morning St. George put on his helmet and all his shining armor, and fastened his sword at his side. Then he mounted his great black horse and rode out from his castle gate. Down the steep, rough road he went, sitting straight and tall, and looking brave and strong as a knight should look. On through the little village at the foot of the hill and out across the country he rode. Everywhere he saw rich fields filled with waving grain; everywhere there was peace and plenty.

He rode on and on until at last he came into a part of the country he had never seen before. He noticed that there were no men working in the fields. The houses which he passed stood silent and empty. The grass along the roadside was scorched as if a fire had passed over it. A field of wheat was all trampled and burned.

St. George drew up his horse, and looked carefully about him. Everywhere there was silence and desolation. "What can be the dreadful thing which has driven all the people from their homes? I must find out, and give them help if I can," he said. But there was no one to ask, so St. George rode forward until at last, far in the distance, he saw the walls of a city. "Here surely I shall find some one who can tell me the cause of all this," he said, so he rode more swiftly toward the city.

Just then the great gate opened and St. George saw crowds of people standing inside the wall. Some of them were weeping; all of them seemed afraid. As St. George watched, he saw a beautiful maiden dressed in white, with a girdle of scarlet about her waist, pass through the gate alone. The gate clanged shut, and the maiden walked along the road, weeping bitterly. She did not see St. George, who was riding quickly towards her.

"Maiden, why do you weep?" he asked as he reached her side.

She looked up at St. George sitting there on his horse, so straight and tall and beautiful. "Oh, Sir Knight!" she cried, "ride quickly from this place. You know not the danger you are in!"

"Danger!" said St. George; "do you think a knight would flee from danger? Besides, you, a fair, weak girl, are here alone. Think you a knight would leave you or any woman so? Tell me your trouble that I may help you."

"No! No!" she cried. "Hasten away. You would only lose your life. There is a terrible dragon near. He may come at any moment. One breath would destroy you if he found you here. Go! Go quickly!"

"Tell me more of this," said St. George sternly. "Why are you here alone to meet this dragon? Are there no men left in yon city?"

"Oh," said the maiden, "my father, the king, is old and feeble. He has only me to help him take care of his people. This terrible dragon has driven them from their homes, carried away their cattle, and ruined their crops. They have all come within the walls of the city for safety. For weeks now the dragon has come to the very gates of the city. We have been forced to give him two sheep each day for his breakfast.

"Yesterday there were no sheep left to give, so he said that unless a young maiden were given him today he would break down the walls and destroy the city. The people cried to my father to save them, but he could do nothing. I am going to give myself to the dragon. Perhaps if he has me, the Princess, he may spare our people."

"Lead the way, brave Princess. Show me where this monster may be found."

When the Princess saw St. George's flashing eyes and great, strong arm as he drew forth his sword, she felt afraid no more. Turning, she led the way to a shining pool.

"There's where he stays," she whispered. "See, the water moves. He is waking."

St. George saw the head of the dragon lifted from the pool. Fold on fold he rose from the water. When he saw St. George he gave a roar of rage and plunged toward him. The smoke and flames flew from his nostrils, and he opened his great jaws as if to swallow both the knight and his horse.

St. George shouted and, waving his sword above his head, rode at the dragon. Quick and hard came the blows from St. George's sword. It was a terrible battle.

At last the dragon was wounded. He roared with pain and plunged at St. George, opening his great mouth close to the brave Knight's head.

St. George looked carefully, then struck with all his strength straight down through the dragon's throat, and he fell at the horse's feet--dead.

Then St. George shouted for joy at his victory. He called to the Princess. She came and stood beside him.

"Give me the girdle from about your waist, O Princess," said St. George.

The Princess gave him her girdle and St. George bound it around the dragon's neck, and they pulled the dragon after them by that little silken ribbon back to the city so that all of the people could see that the dragon could never harm them again.

When they saw St. George bringing the Princess back in safety and knew that the dragon was slain, they threw open the gates of the city and sent up great shouts of joy. The King heard them and came out from his palace to see why the people were shouting. When he saw his daughter safe he was the happiest of them all. "O brave Knight," he said, "I am old and weak. Stay here and help me guard my people from harm."

"I'll stay as long as ever you have need of me," St. George answered. So he lived in the palace and helped the old King take care of his people, and when the old King died, St. George was made King in his stead. The people felt happy and safe so long as they had such a brave and good man for their King.

--_From "Stories for Children and How to Tell Them"._
--_Courtesy of J. Berg Esenwein._

QUESTIONS

1. Why did St. George feel that he ought to ride away from his
home? What do you conclude from this must have been the chief duty
of a knight?

2. What signs did St. George find that he had come to a place
where there was work for him to do?

3. For what do you admire the Princess? Which do you think was
braver, St. George or she?

4. What nation recently played the part of the dragon in the
world? What form of government did this nation have?

5. What nations played the part of St. George? In what way did the
governments of all but one of these nations differ from the
"dragon" nation?

NONSENSE TEST

This is just a little nonsense test but don't be too sure that you
can get everything in it exactly right. Carry out the following
directions very carefully.

No matter whether Benjamin Franklin was the father of his country or not, draw a circle in the center of your paper. Now if December is the first month of the year put the largest of these four numbers in the circle. (17-6-11-21). But if not, put any one of the smaller numbers there. Then copy this example on your paper under the circle. (7 + 5 = .) Write a wrong answer to it, mark it correct and sign your name at the bottom.

TURNING OUT THE INTRUDER

Arrange your paper with your name on the first line at the right,
and your grade below it on the second line. Skip the third line,
but on the next eight lines, in the margin, write the figures, 1
to 8.

Here is an exercise that will let you see not only how well you can
follow printed directions, but also how well you can arrange words
in classes or groups. Read the first group of words at the bottom of
the page. What kind of list does it seem to be? A list of several
kinds of fruit, does it not? Or at least it would be a good list of
fruit, if we could omit the word ROPE, which does not seem to belong
to the list at all. After figure 1, on your paper, write the word
ROPE.

In each of the other groups there is also a word that should be
dropped out. You are going to write these words on your paper. Start
with the next group, and when you find the word that should be
omitted, write it after figure 2; and in the same way, finish the
remaining groups in the exercise. When you finish wait quietly for
the others to do so.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

apple lion mountain lumbering automobile
peach tiger gulfs farming store
rope elephant hills grazing bank
grape tusks plain manufacturing station
pear horse valley jumping hotel
orange cow island fishing church

6. 7. 8.

flowers cup chair
grass saucer table
fence plate room
tree pan sofa
bush pitcher bench
weeds bowl bookcase

ROOSEVELT'S FAVORITE STUDY

You should all begin to read this story at the same moment.

At the end of five minutes you will be asked to close your books
and follow your teacher's directions.

Very often the things that a boy or girl likes to do as a child are signs of what he or she will like to do as a man or woman. This is true in the case of Theodore Roosevelt. One of the subjects in which he was all his life most interested was his favorite study as a boy. It seems that he was not an unusually clever student in his early years. In Latin and Greek and mathematics he was poor; in science and history and geography he made better progress; but best of all he loved natural history--the study of animals.

His first experience in this study befell him when he was nine years old. He was walking past one of the city markets one day, when he saw a dead seal lying on a slab of wood. He had just been reading about seals, and it seemed a wonderful thing to see a real one. He became possessed with a longing to own the seal. Being unable to form any plan for satisfying that longing, he contented himself with visiting the market day by day to gaze upon the object which proved so interesting to him. He took the seal's measurements carefully with a folding pocket rule and had considerable difficulty when he came to measuring its girth. Somehow or other he got the animal's skull, and with it he and two of his cousins immediately founded what they called the "Roosevelt Museum of Natural History". At the same time his observations of the seal and the measurements which he had made of it were carefully set down in a blank book.

In another blank book were recorded further observations in natural history. This work was entitled, "Natural History on Insects, by Theodore Roosevelt, Jr.," and began in this fashion: "All these insects are native of North America. Most of the insects are not in other books. I will write about ants first."

The beginning of the treatise on ants is entertaining, if not deeply scientific. "Ants," he writes, "are di_fi_ded into three sorts for every species. These kinds are officer, soilder [soldier?] and worker. There are about one officer to ten soilders and one soilder to two workers." The book then went on to describe other insects which he had observed, all of which he assured the reader "inhabit North America". At the end of the volume on insects were a few notes on fishes. Among these was a description of the crayfish. "I need not describe the form of the crayfish to you," wrote the young author; "look at the lobster and you have its form." These observations, recorded at the age of nine years, are worth mentioning because they show a real interest in the creatures of which he was writing.

When Theodore was thirteen, his father sent him to a little shop to take lessons in taxidermy, the stuffing and mounting of animals. Then the boy wanted to secure his own specimens; so his father gave him a gun for that purpose. When he first tried to use this gun, he was puzzled to find that he could not see the objects at which his companions were shooting. One day some boys with him read aloud an advertisement written in huge letters on a billboard some distance away, and Theodore then realized, for the first time, that there must be something the matter with his eyes because he could not see the letters. His father soon got him a pair of spectacles, which, he says, opened up a new world to him.

When he was fourteen the family went to Europe, and, among other expeditions, took a trip up the Nile. Before they started on this trip. Theodore picked up in Cairo a book which contained some account of the birds of that region. Armed with this book and with the gun which his father had given him, he secured a number of specimens of birds in Egypt.

Unfortunately for the rest of the family, Theodore insisted on carrying his natural history specimens about with him from place to place. One day when the family was in Vienna, his brother Elliot inquired plaintively of their father whether it would be possible that he should now and then have a room to himself in the hotels, instead of being obliged always to share one with Theodore. Mr. Roosevelt was perfectly willing to comply, but inquired the reason for Elliot's request. Elliot said, "Come and see our room, and you will understand." When they reached the boys' room, they found bottles of taxidermist's supplies everywhere, and in the basin the remains of specimens which Theodore had lately captured. Theodore himself records the fact that he was "grubby". "I suppose," he says, "that all growing boys tend to be grubby; but the small boy with the taste for natural history is generally the very grubbiest of all."

--_Adapted from "The Life of Theodore Roosevelt,"
by William Draper Lewis.
Courtesy of The John C. Winston Co._

TOPICS

Your teacher will call on you to come to the front of your class
and tell about one of the following topics:

1. Roosevelt and the seal.

2. Roosevelt's eyesight.

3. His trip up the Nile.

4. That Roosevelt boy as a room-mate.

WHAT A CHIMNEY IS

Probably you think you can tell all about a chimney, but you may
be able to learn something interesting from this selection.

You should all begin reading at the same time. Your teacher will
give the signal when to close your books. She will then ask you to
write answers to the questions at the end.

A hollow tree was the first chimney of our unlettered forefathers. Accidentally set on fire, this tree illustrated the principle upon which all chimneys have been constructed. It showed that warm air, being lighter than cold air, tends to rise. When this warm air is confined within an enclosure open at the top and bottom, a strong upward current fills the space. As the warm air rises, the cold air rushes in through the opening at the bottom of the shaft, and in this way a draft is created which supplies the fire at the foot of the chimney with the oxygen it needs to support combustion.

Simple chimneys are constructed of logs and mortar, or of stones and mortar, such as those built for log cabins; of brick, also of cement and of iron pipes made for the purpose. Since a long column of hot air produces a stronger current than a short one, the tallest chimneys, other things being equal, produce the strongest draft. Tall chimneys are larger at the base than at the top. This is to make the structure stable and to increase the draft by contracting the flue at the top. At the bottom the chimney is usually connected with the fire by a flue. A fireplace, however, is practically an enlarged part of the chimney.

The size and height of a chimney depend upon the size of the furnace. For larger furnaces there is greater danger of making the flue too small than too large. The stacks or chimneys of the largest steamships like the Mauritania and the Imperator are so large that two railway trains could run through them abreast, and they are about 175 feet in length. The difference between a chimney and a smokestack is in name only; chimneys constructed of tubing made from iron plates are usually called stacks.

--_From "The World Book".
Courtesy of W. F. Quarrie & Co._

QUESTIONS

1. How does a difference between warm and cold air make chimneys
useful?

2. Why is a tall chimney better than a short one?

3. How large are the chimneys or stacks on the largest steamships?

IS IT TRUE?

Arrange your paper as you are accustomed to do. Number the lines
from one to ten. As you read each of the following statements,
decide for yourself if it is true or false, and write the word
_true_ or the word _false_ as the case may be, on the proper line
of your paper.

1. Cloth is woven on looms.

2. Strawberries grow on trees.

3. The American Indians were always friendly to the early settlers.

4. Russia is a happy country.

5. The monks of the middle ages were the best educated men of their time.

6. The Pilgrims settled Virginia in 1620.

7. It is not important that a voter should be intelligent.

8. Warm clothing costs less than doctors' bills.

9. Education is cheaper than revolution.

10. Money earns money.

FRANKLIN WRITES FOR THE NEWSPAPER

Here is Benjamin Franklin's own account of his first attempt at
writing. You see, he did not have a chance to learn to write, as
you do, by practice in composition in school.

My brother had, in 1720 or 1721, begun to print a newspaper. It was the second that appeared in America, and was called the "New England Courant". The only one before it was the "Boston News-Letter". I remember his being _dissuaded_ by some of his friends from the undertaking, as not likely to succeed, one newspaper being, in their judgment, enough for America. At this time (1771) there are not less than five and twenty. He went on, however, with the undertaking; and after having worked in composing the types and printing off the sheets, I was employed to carry the papers through the streets to the customers.

He had some ingenious men among his friends, who amused themselves by writing little pieces for this paper, which gained it credit and made it more in demand; and these gentlemen often visited us. Hearing their conversations, and their accounts of the _approbation_ their papers were received with, I was excited to try my hand among them; but being still a boy, and suspecting that my brother would object to printing anything of mine in his paper if he knew it to be mine, I contrived to _disguise_ my hand; and, writing an _anonymous_ paper, I put it in at night under the door of the printing-house. It was found in the morning and communicated to his writing friends when they called in as usual. They read it, and commented on it in my hearing; and I had the _exquisite_ pleasure of finding it met with their approbation, and that in their different guesses at the author, none were named but men of some _character_ among us for learning and _ingenuity_. I suppose now that I was rather lucky in my judges and that perhaps they were not really so very good ones as I then _esteemed_ them.

Encouraged, however, by this, I wrote and conveyed in the same way to the press several more papers which were equally approved; and I kept my secret till my small fund of sense for such performances was pretty well exhausted, and then I _discovered_ it, when I began to be considered a little more by my brother's acquaintance, and in a manner that did not quite please him, as he thought, probably with reason, that it tended to make me too vain.

--_Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin._

QUESTIONS

1. What is there in this story that suggests that Franklin was a
modest boy?

2. How does it seem to you, from this story, that young people in
Franklin's day were looked upon by their elders?

3. Was he a good writer when he began? How do you know?

4. Can you tell the meaning of the words in italics, from their
use in the story? Look them up in a dictionary and compare the
meaning you find with your judgment from the way they were used.

YES OR NO?

1. I need six dozen 1-1/4" screws. They will cost me five cents a dozen. There are twelve dozen in a box, and a box will cost thirty-two cents. Would it pay me to get just what I need now?

2. All but three of the girls in our class are members of the United States School Garden Army. Edith is not a member of the United States School Garden Army. Is it possible that Edith is a member of our class?

HOW TO MAKE A SUN-DIAL

Did you ever think how hard it would be to get along without clocks? At almost every city street corner we can look at a clock; every railway station, every post office, every schoolhouse, has at least one; and everybody's house contains one or more. And at that, boys and girls are sometimes late for school.

No, we certainly couldn't manage without these useful mechanisms; and yet, there was a time, not so many centuries ago, either, when they were a rare possession; and a time before that when they had not yet been invented. What did our far-off ancestors do?

Let us pretend that we are going for a walk in the beautiful garden of a country mansion. Here in the midst of a rose bed stands a low stone pillar, with an upright, triangular piece of metal attached to its top near the center, and some figures marked in a circle around the edge.

This is a sun-dial. The owner of the garden has it here for a pretty ornament; but in the old times, before the days of clocks, people told the time by means of sun-dials, judging the hour by the position of the shadow cast by the piece of metal upon the stone. If you would like, just for the fun of it, to have such a sun-clock in your own little garden, there is a very easy way to make one.

Choose a spot of ground that is perfectly flat, where the sun shines all day long. Set up, or get your father or big brother to set up for you, a post four or five inches thick. Make it stand perfectly firm and straight. Now find a thin, flat piece of board--a box top or a shingle will do--and nail it like a table top on to the top of the post. After these preparations have been made, you must wait for a clear, starry night when you can go out and find the North Star. The way to do this is by looking at the "Big Dipper", the group of stars that of course you know.

The two stars marked A and B are called the "Pointers"; and, looking in the direction of the arrow, the next star in line with them is the North Star. Take a straight, thin stick, and fasten it to the center of the top of the post, slanting it so that it will point directly at the North Star. That is all you can do until the next day.

At twelve o'clock, if the sun is bright, you will find your slanting stick casting a shadow on the piece of board. Mark the line where it falls, and put the figure 12 upon it, to show that this line belongs to twelve o'clock. Do the same thing at one, two, and three o'clock, and so on through the afternoon. In the same way, the next day, you can mark the morning hours.

If you like, you can print on your sun-dial the motto that is often used for them: "Non horas sed serenas", which means "I mark none but sunny hours".

QUESTIONS

1. What did our ancestors use instead of a clock?

2. How can you find the North Star?

3. Can you draw a diagram of the sun-clock?

PUTTING WORDS WHERE THEY BELONG

Arrange your paper with your name on the first line and your grade
on the second line. Divide the rest of your paper into four parts
with lines drawn as shown below:

TRAVELING | BANKING | GRAZING | SEASHORE
| | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
| | |

Below is a list of words that is not very well arranged. Some
words suggest a long railroad journey, some an errand to the bank,
some the lonely occupation of a cowboy, and others a vacation at
the shore. Write the words, TRAVELING, BANKING, GRAZING, SEASHORE
at the top of your paper on the fourth line as shown above. Now
rearrange the words below into four columns under these four
heads, putting all the words that seem to suggest TRAVELING in the
first column, and all the words that suggest BANKING in the second
column, and every word that suggests GRAZING or SEASHORE in its
proper column. When you finish wait quietly for the others.

discount station flock cattle
train interest bridge deposit
sheep check vault account
cashier salt-lick grass ranch
sand waves life-guard balance
suitcase taxi signal curve
ocean swim fence herd
spring adding machine pass-book tree
beach fish conductor ticket
boardwalk engineer lighthouse steamer

AN INDIAN BUFFALO HUNT

This selection was written by a white man who ran away from home
when a boy and lived among the Indians of the plains for twelve
years about the middle of the last century. He married an Indian
maiden, Washtella, and became a chief in the tribe. He gives many
interesting descriptions of Indian life and customs, which
probably give some idea of the way our own ancestors may have
lived thousands of years ago.

The Indians depended upon the buffalo for their chief supply of
food. Millions of these animals roamed the plains in vast herds.
The Indians cannot be blamed in the least for slaughtering these
animals for food, but the white men who drove the Indians from the
plains killed the buffaloes often for mere sport, and exterminated
them except for a few small herds now in captivity.

Read the story as rapidly as you can without skipping or losing
the meaning, and be prepared to stand in front of the class and
give a complete discussion of any of the topics given at the end
of the selection.

When our camp was pitched, I walked out along the banks of the beautiful lake, to see what I could discover. Its waters were clear as crystal and full of fish. Not a boat, and perhaps not even a canoe, had ever rippled its bosom, and I could not but imagine, as I gazed across the blue expanse, that one day commerce would spring up, and towns and cities be built upon its green shores.

Looking to the north, I was startled from my reflections by seeing a large buffalo cow coming down to the water to drink. Hastening back to the village, I quickly procured my Hawkins rifle and ran over the little eminence that hid the lodges from the animal. She had approached quite near the water, and was not more than one hundred and fifty yards distant from me, when, hearing a noise in my rear, I looked back and saw several Indians running toward me with their guns. The cow at the same moment saw them, and turned to make off; but too late, for I had drawn a bead on her heart, and at one shot dropped her dead.

All the village came running and shouting, and the squaws gathered around the dead buffalo, jostling and elbowing each other as they tore off the meat. It is the Indian rule that game is common property, and my buffalo was soon reduced to a pile of bones by the knives of the busy squaws. I could not help laughing as I watched them struggling for the choice morsels. First, the skin was carefully removed, and then the muscles and gristle cut away. Then, just as a squaw was about to take the coveted part, she would be rudely thrust aside, and some other squaw would take it. These exploits were received with loud shouts of laughter, and no ill-temper or quarreling was observed among the excited crowd of women who surrounded the carcass.

On returning to my lodge, I found Washtella in great glee over my good luck, and she explained that it was no small matter to have killed the first buffalo slain in the hunt. Presently I received a message from the chief, and was informed by an old Indian that, having killed the first buffalo, I would be entitled to lead the hunt on the first day. Meat was brought me, and the skin or robe, which, according to the Indian custom, is always given to the one who kills the animal. So proud was Washtella that she did nothing all the evening but talk of my good fortune, and I could not help being amused at the boasts of the little maid. Nothing could possibly have happened that would have given her more pleasure.

The next morning, as soon as it was daylight, I was aroused, and told that the warriors were waiting for me to lead them in the chase. Assembling all of them before my lodge, I addressed them, saying I was a young man, and lacked experience, but if they would allow me, I would name one worthy to lead them in my place. This was received with loud shouts of approval, and as soon as quiet was restored, I pointed to a young warrior, and said: "He is a good man, go and follow him." The warrior I had selected was my bitter enemy. As his animosity was well known in the tribe, the honors thus thrust upon him, by one from whom he had expected no favors, surprised and pleased them. For a moment the brave hung his head, and then came forward, and, amid the shouts of the warriors, gave me his hand. Feeling unwell, I did not go upon the hunt that day, but in the evening, when the party returned, my old enemy came to my lodge, and as a token of his friendship, presented me with two fine robes he had taken during the day.

On the second day I went out with the hunters, and joined in a most exciting chase. Under the directions of a chief, we deployed at wide distances, and then, closing in, surrounded a herd of buffaloes on three sides; and as soon as the herd began to move, the chase began. Our tough little ponies bore us swiftly along, and soon the herd was hard pressed. Presently it began to scatter, and then each Indian, selected a buffalo and followed the beast up until he had killed it. It is astonishing how fast the great lumbering animals can run, and although they do not seem to go over the ground very rapidly, it takes a good horse to come up with them. Their shambling "lope" is equal in speed to an American horse's gallop, and they can climb steep hills and get over rough ground faster than a horse. They run with their heads near the earth, and a hundred of them will make a mighty noise that resembles the rumbling of distant thunder. The warriors do not stop to touch the game after it is dead, as the skinning and packing of the meat is the work of the squaws who follow in the wake of the hunters. For this purpose they have pack-ponies, and two women will skin and pack three or four buffaloes in a day.

The meat is brought to the village, is cut in narrow slices, about an inch thick, and three or four inches long. These slices are then hung on poles, or stretched on small willows laid across a frame-work of poles. The meat is frequently turned, and is allowed to remain in the sun and air for three days. It should be covered or brought in at night, and must not be allowed to get wet by rain while it is curing. This is called jerking buffalo, and is a simple and easy process of curing meat. The pure crisp air of the plains soon dries it, and then it has a sweet, pleasant taste. I have known climates on the plains where nearly all the year carcasses could be hung up and left without spoiling until used. Meat, when jerked, is only about half the weight and size it is when in a raw state. If soaked in water it will swell greatly, and then, unless used immediately, it will spoil.

When the buffalo flesh is dried sufficiently, it is put into parfleshes, or wrappers, made of rawhide cut square, which will hold about half a bushel. They are sewed up at the bottom and sides, the laps at the top being left open until they are filled. The meat is then laid in flat and packed tightly like plugs of tobacco. When two or three layers of meat have been put in, hot buffalo fat is brought and poured over it until all the interstices are filled up. Then more layers of meat are put in and more fat poured on, until the parflesh is full, when the laps are folded over each other and tightly sewed up with sinews. The meat is now ready for winter use, and two parfleshes are fastened together like a pair of saddle-bags, and slung across the back of a pony when the Indians travel. To prevent these bags or wrappers from hurting the ponies' backs, the under side is lined with fur or bear skin.

We had hunted four days from our camp on the lake, and although we had taken the utmost precaution not unnecessarily to alarm the buffaloes most of them had gone a long distance from the village. A council was called, and it was determined we should go over to the lakes that lay on the Jim River, sixty miles distant. We immediately set out, moving around the lake to the right of the buffaloes, so as not to disturb them. Our route lay across a beautiful level country through which meandered little streams eight or ten miles apart. We traveled leisurely along, however, halting on the creeks, and making about sixteen miles per day, for many of our ponies were already heavily laden with meat.

On the fourth day we reached the lakes, and again pitched our village. Here we found plenty of buffaloes and a great many calves, which were very acceptable to us, as we wanted some parfleshes of veal.

We hunted four days, and took a great deal of meat. Each family had from three to six parfleshes, according to its size, which was as much as it could use during the winter, and enough for the infirm besides. So the hunt was announced at an end, and we began to prepare for our return. I had been exceedingly fortunate, and had taken no less than nine parfleshes of meat and had twelve robes.

There are several methods of killing buffaloes besides the regular chase. One of these, as practiced by the Indians, is as follows:

The buffaloes are watched until they graze near a precipice, when two or three Indians put a buffalo skin on sticks, and concealing themselves under it, approach near the herd slowly, as if grazing. This must be done when the wind is favorable, and blowing from the buffaloes. If the decoy is successful, other Indians make a wide circuit, surrounding the herd on all sides, except that toward the bluff. Then they steal up as close as possible, and when the buffaloes, discover them, they shout, shake their blankets and poles, and close in upon the herd. The animals are greatly alarmed, but seeing the mock buffalo (which has managed to attract attention) set off for the bluffs, they rush madly after it. When the baiters reach the bluff, they fling the mock buffalo over the precipice, and betake themselves to holes in the bank or crevices among the rocks. It is in vain the leaders of the herd halt when they see the chasm; the mass from behind, crazed by the poles and blankets of the Indians, who are now close upon them, rush madly on, and press those in front over the cliff.

It is exceedingly dangerous to bait buffalo, as the herd frequently overtake the false buffalo and trample it beneath their feet, or the great beasts, falling among the rock, crush the Indian baiters to death. Many reckless young Indians, who as baiters have gone too far inland, have, after the chase, been found dead on the plain, or their mangled bodies lay at the foot of the precipice with the carcasses of the animals they had so cruelly deceived. It takes a brave Indian to be a baiter, but there are always plenty of young and foolish boys who are anxious to engage in the dangerous sport.

After the buffaloes have fallen and killed or maimed themselves, a party of Indians who have been concealed near the foot of the precipice suddenly advance and finish them with axes and rifles.

Our hunt having ended, the chief ordered that the usual feast and rejoicing should take place. A long pole was provided, a buffalo head put on the top of it, and a number of tails nailed, at right angles, to the sides. The pole was then set firmly in the ground, in the center of an open space before the village, and buffalo heads were piled up around it. The heads were set in a circle, and arranged to look as hideous as possible.

Immense quantities of buffalo meat were now brought, and the feast was made ready. At these feasts nothing but buffalo meat is eaten, and every one makes it a point to gorge himself to the fullest extent. Even the dogs are stuffed, and the women and children are persuaded to eat while they can force down a bite. The greater the quantity of meat eaten, the greater the honor; and some starve themselves for two or three days in advance, in order to do justice to the occasion. The meat is prepared in every form--boiled, fried, broiled, roasted, and raw.